Dealing With Anxiety Before Or During Interviews

By Audrey Korir

Are you looking for jobs but stressed about going through interviews? Is your anxiety keeping you from having successful interviews? Don’t worry! You are not alone.

At the beginning of the year, I attended an interview where the recruiter asked me a question, “How would you describe yourself?” I completely froze and fumbled while trying to phrase my answer.

When I think about it, the question was rather simple but my nerves and anxiety got the best of me, making the whole interview process difficult.

Do you relate? If so, it’s time to take control. Here are some tips for managing pre-interview and during the job interview nerves, so you can easily handle the process, avoid stress, and ace your interviews.

Tip 1: Prepare & Research: 

Based on my personal experience, a major reason as to why the question was difficult to answer was because I had simply not prepared. Give yourself enough time to prepare for your interview. The better prepared you are for your job interview, the less likely you are to freeze up when you’re asked a question. Think of questions that make you nervous and highlight the three top answers you would give.

Research the company to get a clear picture of what they are about. That way when asked any question  in relation to the company and job description you are able to answer accordingly. Make sure you also research your potential boss, which will help you find ways to connect with them more effectively during the interview. All these will help ease your anxiety and make the interview process manageable.

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Tip 3: Practice

“Practice Makes Perfect”, this also applies to interviews.  Do some research on questions that may come up and practice on the answers that you will need to give. To summarise everything, always give relevant examples of all your achievements. You can also meet with coaches, mentors, and friends for mock or practice interviews. The more familiar interviewing feels to you, the less anxiety you will feel about the process.

Tip 4: Avoid Negative Thinking

Stress around interviews, all fall back on our assumptions of what the outcome will be.  Counter any negative thought with a positive one to help lower the levels of anxiety. For example, instead of focusing on the fact that you don’t have enough experience for the job, shift your attention to the achievements you have at hand and highlight them with the best examples you can think of.

READ ALSO >>> 5 Ways You Can Still Land an Interview When You Don’t Meet All the Requirements

Tip 5: Relax

Employ some useful relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation or breathing exercises as a way to manage anxiety.  Try to frequently imagine a positive interaction with the interviewer especially an hour or so before the interview.  Keeping all this in mind, it is important to note that preparation is essential. You cannot be fully relaxed if you are not thoroughly prepared.

In Summary, consider all your failures as a learning experience. If one job interview is unsuccessful, it does not mean that you will never get another chance. Learn from it and focus on the next opportunity.

If anxiety is what is keeping you from getting through an interview, Fear not! We’ve got you!

Do you have an upcoming Job Interview? Take control of your anxiety by using our Interview Coaching Services.